Updated

Updated · WTVD-TV · Sep 25

Durham Says $750,000 Recovery Program Helped 200 Small Businesses as Verification Still Pending

Updated

Updated · WTVD-TV · Sep 25

Durham Says $750,000 Recovery Program Helped 200 Small Businesses as Verification Still Pending

2 articles · Updated · WTVD-TV · Sep 25

$750,000 in Durham County federal relief money funded the Durham Rising program, which county leaders and operator Knox St. Studios say helped more than 200 pandemic-hit small businesses.
Knox St. Studios paired coaching with grants, including a $5,000 award to Looks AI founder Jessica Couch, who said the support pushed her company into full launch mode.
Quarterly reports from the nonprofit underpin the results, but Commissioner Michelle Burton said Durham County has not yet independently verified the figures and is still awaiting confirmation from the county manager's office.
ARPA money for the program has run out, leaving any Durham Rising 2.0 uncertain as county officials weigh whether to continue it with regular budget funding.

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Did a $750,000 pandemic relief program actually save local startups, or will the pending county audit reveal a different story?

Can local governments successfully sustain cash grants and tech coaching for small businesses without relying on temporary federal bailouts?

With federal funds officially exhausted, what happens to a city's entrepreneurial boom when the financial lifeline suddenly disappears?

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